How long will you wait for DISH to deliver before switching to DirectTV

[SaladShooter]

E* has plenty of room to host the HD channels that we want and will be doing it in short order. I believe that their strategy is going to be one of making the "Big Splash" rather than trickling in the channels quietly. What Charlie knows is that they can't compete in the numbers game and so other than NHL, NBA, and TBS for baseball, they are mostly letting D* launch their channels, looking at what the customers are clamoring for and readying their own flashy multichannel HD launch. As Scott has said... he expects E* to have all the best of what D* has launched by year's end.

Using this strategy E* will be able to make at least one big announcement that appears to set them as the HD leader and trump D* at least briefly. I have a lot invested in E* and will give them the benefit of the doubt until at least January.

 

[wase4711]

I didnt see an option in the poll saying," When Dish offers a FREE HDDVR"..

 

[jwfgeol]

I will stay through my rebate period ($20 off for 10 months, so basically free HD). I'm sure the landscape will have changed by then anyway.

 

[Sean Mota]

Before you all jump ship wait until the facts about these channels PQ is in. D* has had a history of trashing the PQ of channels. Right now we know that they are doing 5 channels per TP and that the bitrates is about 7-8mbps (compatible to what E* is doing). The resolution claim of 1920x1080i has not yet been proven. So let's wait and see what E* has in their future plans. At the end of the day, I believe everyone will be satisfied.

 

[nlk10010]

Before you all jump ship wait until the facts about these channels PQ is in. D* has had a history of trashing the PQ of channels. Right now we know that they are doing 5 channels per TP and that the bitrates is about 7-8mbps (compatible to what E* is doing). The resolution claim of 1920x1080i has not yet been proven. So let's wait and see what E* has in their future plans. At the end of the day, I believe everyone will be satisfied.

Agreed. The usual advice to basically wait a couple of beats before reacting is applicable here. D* (like other companies) is definitely not above setting bitrates up to generate buzz and attract a bunch of new subscribers, then quietly throttling them back down again. Notice how talk of MSG-HD and FSNY-HD on D* has stopped all of a sudden (someone mentioned that D* has quietly excised all evidence of those two channels from its website).

I don't think there's much doubt that E* will NOT be able to match D*'s HD lineup channel-for-channel (at least not for a year or so), but they DO need to come up with most of the good ones to keep subscribers. I mean, what percentage of E* subscribers are going to go through the pain of switching because D* carries, say, 5 or 6 extra HD channels that they'll watch maybe 5% of the time?

That, plus the "HD 24/7" ad campaign that Charlie will no doubt ramp up and which worked so well in fooling people into thinking Dish had NFLST, should work wonders in retaining customers.


=NLK=

 

[kennya]

I wont switch, I am in for the long haul.

 

[Pistol]

Indianapolis Hd Locals

I have a few months left on my contract and will leave if Dish does not add our locals from Indianapolis by then. I have two 622 receivers and subscribe to the most expensive programming package and have since 1996. The facts are as follows: Directv has had the Indy HD locals for over a year now and many of us in rural Indiana are just too far for a Dish off air antenna to be cost effective. The clock is ticking Dish.

 

[Poke]

I think it's obvious that people like to make mountains out of mole hills here sometimes. I would not worry about Dish they will be fine and Direct had nothing else to do but to add more HD due to they had very little for such a long time. In the long run things will even out so folks with Dish I think we will be fine. I voted as long as it takes due to it will not be very long that all of the TV Providers will offer about the same in HD.One thing is for sure for now I will never go back to cable tv and IPTV will be about the same. Due to their rates will be about the same due to overhead cost and to me its never smart to have your Internet connection tied into with your TV Service.

If my TV Service goes down I dont want it to effect my Internet or the other way around as well just another reason not to have all you eggs in one basket.
Yes you might be able to get everything on one bill but that does not mean you get a better deal so forth so just somethings to think about.
When its all said done it will come down to the most common things in what should help you in your decisions process. Pricing, who has better service who has better hardware and overall who do you feel like you get your moneys worth.

It all comes down to service and right now I think Dish has done a better job of that. Also I like it that Dish does not run as many ads making all of these claims and promising on things that might not happen and is not always a fact more of a opinion. Overall go with what fits your needs the best not what everyone else thinks. But again this is my 2 cents.

 

[Finorik]

Should be a bit concerning that 41% only give them until March of 2008, considering that they probably won't even have a new satellite launching before then - and they just may be hard pressed to respond until that happens.

If that is anywhere near a realistic feeling of the psychie of DISH NETWORK customers right now, DISH is in big trouble. Don't you agree?

 

[Sean Mota]

nope. this does not represent the entire 11+million customers...

 

[Finorik]

But does it represent the feelings of their customers? That is the great unknown. The short timeframe (6 months) should be of some concern I imagine. I wouldn't just blow it off as insignificant.

 

[Walter L.]

I'm in contract with E* plus have invested on 2 622's. So I'll wait at least 1 year. Also, the VOOM channels are important for me. So the gap between D* and E* will have to be much bigger by then to consider the change.

 

[danknapp76]

Unless or until another provider comes out with a 2 TV DVR I'm staying put.
I currently have 2 TVs...one HD and one SD...my VIP 722 is perfect for my needs...I won't even look at D* or Comcast unless they make something like it available.

 

[tomyo10]

they promised Cleveland locals in 2006. It's almost 2008. I'll give them until my commitment is done in mid 2008. If no Cleveland LiLs by then, I'm gone.

 

[waltinvt]

Anyone that participates in a silly poll like this should say one week because "E" is probably dumb enough to believe it.

Wait, I just looked at the results. I can't believe you guys told Dish they had at least 6 months to catch up to "D". Way to go.

 

[Islandguy43]

Should be a bit concerning that 41% only give them until March of 2008, considering that they probably won't even have a new satellite launching before then - and they just may be hard pressed to respond until that happens.

If that is anywhere near a realistic feeling of the psychie of DISH NETWORK customers right now, DISH is in big trouble. Don't you agree?

I would have to agree with you there. I have been with E* for over four years, but I have issues with them too.

The buffalo new york area was told local hds by late spring of 2007. Here it is fall, and they are no where insight.

Sure I am very comfortable with their equipment, however, I don't agree that I should be charged an extra $5.00 on a 625 receiver because I have elected to do away with my landline phone. The competition doesn't have a requirement of landline phones.

Voom channels might be HD channels, but lets be real here, would I rather have the voom channels or the new offerings of D*. E* can keep the vooms and the 8 or 9 hd ppvs, and give us the channels we have enjoyed for years in SD, that are now available HD.

I would be very reluctant to give up another 18 month committment to E*, until some of my concerns are dealt with.

I have subscribed to NHL CI Package and will be definately with E* until end of the season in April.
After that, well whomever can offer me the most that
benefits my situation will get my 18 month or in D*'s case a 24 month committment.

 

[LosingPatience]

Actually I would have switched long before now, but after a year the HR20 is still worse than the (miserable) 921 ever was. Too bad, too: I'd love 2 OTA tuners and BSG in HD, but not if I have to deal with another bad DVR. My 942 is nearly perfect in every respect (except for the whole MPEG4 thing...), but the HR20 is a complete disaster, despite what all the D* apologists say.

Nope, I lived through the craptastic 921; no way I'm going down that road again...

 

[ScoBuck]

Actually I would have switched long before now, but after a year the HR20 is still worse than the (miserable) 921 ever was. Too bad, too: I'd love 2 OTA tuners and BSG in HD, but not if I have to deal with another bad DVR. My 942 is nearly perfect in every respect (except for the whole MPEG4 thing...), but the HR20 is a complete disaster, despite what all the D* apologists say.

Nope, I lived through the craptastic 921; no way I'm going down that road again...

I apologize for NO ONE. I also have 2 HR20s and they work fine. Complete disaster? Guess again.

 

[Scott Greczkowski]

The HR20 is still junk when put side by side with a 622. (Although its getting better, and DirecTV VOD kicks Dish Network new DishONLINE's butt!)

 

[Voyager6]

The HR20 is still junk when put side by side with a 622. (Although its getting better, and DirecTV VOD kicks Dish Network new DishONLINE's butt!)

Isn't D*'s VOD service still in beta testing? E*'s service is actually starting to roll out to customers.